Match-box.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908 MW, I

E. J. ANDERSON.

MATCH BOX APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1908.

NTTED STARS PATENT @FFTQE.

ENOGH J. ANDERSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MATCH-BOX.

Application filed January 22, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENoon J. ANDERSON, a subject of the Kingdom of Sweden, residing at Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improved Match-Box, of which the following is a specification, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawmgs.

The object of my present invention is to provide apocket match-box of novel construction, whereby the matches can be delivered singly therefrom in lateral relation, as more fully hereinafter described.

Another object is to provide a delivering match-box having a guard and slide device arranged to operate as set forth, for separating and discharging a match, and means for moving said slide when the lid or panel of the box is tilted.

These objects I attain by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved match-box with the tilting closurepanel uppermost. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same in inverted position, and open for the delivering of a match. Fig. 3-is an interior plan view of the receptacle or body section, with lid or closure panel removed. Fig. 4 is an interior plan view of the closure panel or lid; the lining-plate being omitted to more clearly show the construction of the spring. Fig. 5 is a front edge view, a portion of the outer body being removed the better to show the front of the guard and slide lip; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section (at line X X on Fig. 1) drawn to an enlarged scale.

My improved match-box, as shown in the drawings, consists of a suitably formed receptacle, case or body-section A, of the desired size for containing matches laid longitudinally parallel therein; and a closing panel or lid B of suitable dimension to approximately fit within and close the 0 en side of the box; but with sufficient freed bm at its longitudinal edges to permit its rocking movement therein. The parts are preferably made of stiff thin sheet metal, or simi lar rigid material, ressed, swaged or wrought into the desired s iape.

The box is provided with short inwardly projecting pivot-pins 2 fixed in its respective ends, and one of its sides a is, in the resent instance, slightly extended beyond t e oth- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 412,975.

ers as a longitudinal lip, as shown at 4. The lid or closure panel B comprises a flat plate 3 having inwardly projecting end flanges 11 and l) which are respectively provided with openings or recesses 6 suitable to engage with and pivotally sustain the part upon the pivotpins 2, so that the panel can have a tilting movement within the case A. One of the recesses 6 is preferably made as a hole and the other as a slot, so that the lid or panel can be taken off and replaced when desired.

The panel plate is provided with an inward flange 7 along its rear edge, while at its front edge it carries a guard-bar 5 fixed upon and extending across from the end flanges, and having alongitudinal open space 10 between the guard and plate 3. The plane of the guard is approximately perpendicular to the plane of the plate, and is disposed adjacent to the inner side of the wall a.

The numeral 12 indicates a laterally movable slide or plate mounted 011 the interior of the panellate 3, and carrying a longitudinal inward y projecting match-selecting member or lip 13, parallel with the guard 5. Said silde has combined therewith suitable means for effecting movement thereof in relation to the closure panel, when the latter is tilted, and a spring for returning it to normal position. The spring 15 may be formed of a piece of wire arranged within an open space 14. formed in the slide, as shown, and strained as a bow across the central rivet 16 and against lugs 8 on the plate, or in other ap proved manner. 17 indicates a lining plate which serves for inclosing the opening 14 and spring 15, and for retaining the slide-plate 12 in proper manner. It is connected to the lid by a rivet 16, one or more, which is best furnished with flange or washer 18 to prevent the lining interfering with the free movement of the slide and spring.

The means for moving the slide 12 may be of any suitable construction whereby relative movement of the lip 13 is effected when the panel is tilted or rocked on its pivots 2. In the present instance the slide 12 is provided with an inclined lug. or flange 20 that engages with an outstanding lug or flange 21 on the interior of the case, as best shown in Fig. 6; coaction of which advances the slide when the front edge of the panel is swung outward.

The guard 5 is made narrower near its ends, and the lip 13 is made somewhat shorter so that their controlling faces are less than the length of a match, or are so formed as to afiord ample or enlarged space at 9 for the fulminate coated heads of the matches to pass out beneath the guard at either end of the ejectment space 10.

The endwise fit of the lid or panel B within the case A is preferably comparatively close; but it is removable for charging the box with matches, by first prying out the end I) which is slotted to its )ivot-pin 2, then taking the part endwise from the other pivot; this order being reversed for replacing the lid. When in use the box is held in inverted position, somewhat as indicated. in Figs. 2 and 6, or with the discharge mouth inclined downward.

The operation is as follows: The box is held in a position that allows the matches to settle in the corner thereof, as indicated by dotted circles on Fig. 6. A single match m will occupy position between the lip 13 and guard 5; then by pressing the box between the thumb and lingers so as to tilt or rock the lid or closure panel B to the position indicated by dotted lines B the opening 10 is brought below the edge or hp 4 of the case, and the slide-plate 12 and lip 13 is advanced towards the front by the action of the flange 20 against the flange 21, thereby ejecting the selected match m laterally through the opening 10 and out from the box, as indicated at m on Figs. 1 and 6, while the guard 5 and lip 13 prevent other matches from escaping. When relieved of pressure the spring 15 causes the closure panel, and slide-plate 12, to return to their normal relation, so that another single match can assume position between the guard and lip ready for a succeeding operation.

If the box is held in suitable position therefor the ejected match will fall into the hand with which it is operated. Hence a match can readily be procured therefrom with the use of one hand only.

I claim 1. A match-box comprising a receptacle, a tiltable or rocking closure panel carrying a guard arranged along its edge, and having a longitudinal exit space beneath said guard, a

movable slide having a lip disposed for accommodating a single match between the guard and hp, and means for moving said slide and lip for ejecting the match when the closure panel is tilted, substantially as set forth.

2. In a pocket match-box, the combination substantially as described, of a containing receptacle, a closure panel pivotally su ported therein and forming a portion of t e box, said panel provided at one edge with a longitudinally disposed guard member having a matchpassage space beneath said guard, a slide-plate laterally movable upon said panel and provided with a match-selecting member parallel with said guard at a relation thereto that accommodates a single match between, means for advancing the slide-plate when the front edge of said closure-panel is swung outward, and a spring for retracting said slide when the panel is returned to normal position.

3. The combination substantially as described, of the match receptacle provided with pivot-pins at its ends, a projecting longitudinal edge and an internally outstanding flange or lug, the removable lid or closure panel, its ends supported on said pivot-pins, the guard member mounted on said panel and having a pass-way for matches between the guard and panel-plate, an open-centered slide-plate having a match-engaging lip at its front edge and an inclined member or flange at its rear edge that engages with said outstanding flange for advancing the slide, a retracting bow-spring arranged within and acting against said slide, the lining plate covering the slide-plate opening and spring, and means connecting the lining and panel plates, substantially as set forth.

4. In a laterally delivering match-box, the combination of the tiltable panel or lid carrying a guard member, with space for the ejectment of a match adjacently beneath said guard, and a movable match-ejecting member, said guard and ejecting member having their controlling faces of less length than a match, and formed to afford an enlarged space for the passage of the heads of the matches at either end of the ejectment space.

Witness my hand this 20th day of January, 190s.

ENOCH J. ANDERSON.

l/Vitnesses CHAS. l-I. BURLEIGH, A. G. DAVIS. 

